Topic: 78 550 clutch rebuild

[Wykydtron]

Well my 78 550 is starting to get some pretty bad clutch slip, everything is adjusted properly at the lever and at the clutch cover, this bike has been through alot and has 22k or so on it, and while I dont abuse it Im not afraid to run it hard and bang the gears etc. and its slowly gotten worse.  Is it safe to assume that the metal clutch plates themselves are fine and that it just needs new friction disks and springs?  I've had a couple clutches apart so I know what its about, but Ive never rebuilt one.  Would this be a decent kit?  http://www.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/productlist.asp?section_dept_id=1170244&terrain_dept_id=1176461&cat_dept_id=1405241&product_dept_id=1408066&selection_Path=3

I understand that you need to soak the new disks in fresh oil before installing them, and the springs need to be torqued down in a criss-cross pattern.  What else do I need to know and look out for?  The new disks need to be staggered a certain way right?

[jabbadeznuts]

The EBC kit is great. Check your steel plates for warpage and thickness. Replace as needed.


When it comes to installing, torque down criss-cross and let the plates soak in the EXACT same weight and brand oil you use in the bike. Our shop lets plates soak over night. Maybe overkill, but it's not going to hurt anything.

[Jonesy]

In the "Thoughts of HondaMan" FAQ, he mentions something about differences between the newer and older clutch disks, and the orientation of the grooves in them and how this effected performance. Might be some interesting reading...